AmRest

AmRest (WSE: EAT) is an international fast-food and casual dining restaurant operator. The company is primarily based in Wrocław and operates in Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Russia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Spain, France, Germany and the United States. AmRest runs close to 700 restaurants. The company had its initial public offering on the Warsaw Stock Exchange in 2005.

History

In 1993 Henry J. McGovern, Donald M. Kendall, Sr., Donald M. Kendall, Jr. and Christian R. Eisenbeiss established American Restaurants Services. Initially, the company held franchise rights to operate Pizza Hut and KFC restaurants in Western Poland. In 1998, it expanded its operations outside Poland, by taking over KFC and Pizza Hut outlets in the Czech Republic which were previously run by Yum! Brands.

In 2000, AmRest Holdings was formed as a joint venture company between American Restaurants and Yum! Brands, and in 2001 the new company took over International Fast Food Polska, the operator of the Burger King locations in Poland. All Burger King restaurants were soon converted into KFC. In 2005, the company acquired the remaining franchise for Yum! concepts in the Czech Republic and Poland becoming the exclusive KFC and Pizza Hut franchisee in those countries. In 2006 AmRest bought the rights to seventeen KFC and Pizza Hut restaurants in Hungary and launched new Freshpoint and Rodeo Drive brands.